Disclaimer : This databank is curated from literature and may not claim for any medications or directly use of plants without any prior knowledge or consultation of physician.



Botanical Name Plant's Common Name Plant Family

MG018 : Cymbopogon martinii (Roxb.) J.F. Watson

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Melghat's Flora's Serial No. : 578  
Class : Liliopsida - Monocotyledons
Order : Cyperales
Family : Poaceae / Gramineae - Grass family
Genus : Cymbopogon Spreng. - lemon grass
Species : Cymbopogon martinii (Roxb.) J.F. Watson - rosha grass
Plant Location in Melghat : Common throughout reserve  
Plant Category : Grasses  
Plant's Current Status : Common  
Plant Family : Gramineae  

 
Plant Common Name : Tikhadi, Rusa, palmarosa
 
Synonym : Cymbopogon martini (Roxb.) Wats.
spelling preferred under ICN
Andropogon martini Roxb.
Cymbopogon martinianus Schult.
Gymnanthelia martini (Roxb.) Andersson
Andropogon schoenanthus var. martini (Roxb.) Hook.f.
Andropogon pachnodes Trin.
Andropogon calamus-aromaticus Royle
Cymbopogon pachnodes (Trin.) W.Watson
Cymbopogon martini var. sofia B.K.Gupta
Cymbopogon motia B.K.Gupta


Description : A tall perennial herbs with long wiry fibres. Culms erect, from 90-180 cm high, often ramous, smooth, filled with a spongy pith. Leaves : Very long, tapering to a very fine point, smooth in every part and of a soft, delicate texture. Sheaths shorter than the joints on full grown plants, with a membranous stipulary process at the mouth. Inflorescence : Spikelets; Flowers : Panicles axillary or terminal, spikelets paired, but with only three joints. Flowers also paired. Rachis jointed and woolly. Calyx one-flowered, two valved, base girt with wool. Carol one-valved, a long, black, awn occupies the place of the other, which has two small filaments near its base. Nectary two, minute. Flowering and fruiting Time : August-December
 
Curated Medicinal Use / Activity : Palmarosa oil has been shown to be an effective insect repellent when applied to stored grain and beans, an antihelmintic against nematodes, and an anti-fungal and mosquito repellent. Oil - anti-biotic, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant activities; exhibits beneficial effects on several central nervous system pathologies, mainly Neuralgia, Epileptic, and Anorexia. It is also used in remedy of lumbago and stiff joints as well as in skin diseases. In traditional medicine both the plant and its oils are used to treat rheumatism, hair loss, arthritis, lumbago and spasms. The essential oil is a strong fungicide. In laboratory tests it was more effective than several synthetic fungicides against 9 pathogenic fungi and yeasts, including Aspergillus spp., Candida albicans, Monilia sitophila and Trichophyton tonsurae.
 
Plant's Phytochemicals : Acyclic Monoterpenoid: Geraniol
citral
citronellol
citronellal
linalool
elemol
1, 8-cineole
limonene
Beta-caryophyllene
methyl heptenone
geranyl acetate
geranyl formate
nerolidol
geranial
cymbodiacetal
gamma-terpinene
myrcene
caryophyllene
humulene
selinenes
citronellyl acetate
Beta-bourbonene
alpha-borneol
nerol
Citronellyl propionate

Reference : ~ Dhore MA and Joshi PA; "Flora of Melghat Tiger Reserve"; Directorate, Project Tiger, Melghat (1988); PMID :

~ S.D. Jagtap, S.S. Deokule and S.V. Bhosle; "Some unique ethnomedicinal uses of plants used by the Korku tribe of Amravati district of Maharashtra, India"; Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2006); 107: 463-469 PMID :